Double standards. Double standards everywhere. Translators don’t mind making their colleagues wait months before paying them, but they have a problem waiting to get paid. Translators who say they respect their highly professional colleagues, pretending they learned a lesson or 2 from their experience. But when it’s...
Double standards. Double stand...
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Tongue twisters are sentences that are difficult to articulate properly, especially when repeated several times in a row. Such sentences can be found in all cultures and languages. Seeing that my blog post for my Top Ten favorite Tongue Twisters is one of the most popular posts...
Tongue twisters are sentences ...
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I accidentally stumbled upon a really interesting Instagram account featuring an animated Arab character named Abou Jamil. [caption id="attachment_967" align="aligncenter" width="184"] Abou Jamil[/caption] Abou Jamil is an Arab character who spreads Arab quotes and sayings through illustrations across the Arab countries and hopefully the world. [caption id="attachment_968" align="aligncenter"...
I accidentally stumbled upon a...
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A while ago, I came across a series of photos that showed certain words or actions in several languages or how they are said in different parts of the world. It is so interesting to see what other parts of the world call a certain...
A while ago, I came across a s...
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I have a serious passion for cooking and baking. I always say that I would have been a chef in another life. I think it comes from the fact that my mom is an outstanding cook. I know everyone says their mom is the best...
I have a serious passion for c...
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As everyone around the world knows, April Fools' Day is celebrated on April 1st of every year. It is also called All Fools' Day sometimes, and the way to celebrate it is to play practical jokes and spread hoaxes. Logically, we call April fools the...
As everyone around the world k...
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One of the world's most influential architects, Dame Zaha Hadid, died today at the age of 65 after suffering from a heart attack while being treated for bronchitis in a Miami hospital. Born in Baghdad on October 31, 1950, Iraqi-British Zaha Hadid studied mathematics at the...
One of the world's most influe...
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I've been meaning to establish a "Thesaurus" series for so long and finally decided to get on with it. I love photos that serve as a specific "thesaurus" with specific themes. I will be posting such photos every now and then. I think they're great and...
I've been meaning to establish...
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Being a freelancer means meeting endless types of clients on a daily basis. Some are a breath of fresh air and so amazing to work with, while others give you a hard time, and working with them is really not my idea of a healthy...
Being a freelancer means meeti...
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I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Easter! I hope you spend egg-cellent holidays, and remember to go easy on the maamoul, chocolate eggs and Easter cookies! Oh, and don't forget: when the holidays are over, don't crack under pressure. The above puns were intended :D ...
I'd like to wish everyone a Ha...
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I came across this photo on Facebook the other day and it rang a bell with me. [caption id="attachment_908" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Here in Lebanon, we even mix 3 languages in a single sentence sometimes.[/caption] Being bilingual is nice and code-switching comes with the territory. This is the...
I came across this photo on Fa...
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Yeah yeah, you probably heard or read that a zillion times by now. The life of a translator - or any other office employee for that matter - is not an easy one (Oops, here I go again). The long hours we spend sitting at...
Yeah yeah, you probably heard ...
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March 21 marks World Poetry Day, first declared by UNESCO in 1999. As stated on Wikipedia, it is a day to promote reading, writing, publishing and teaching poetry. throughout the world. March 21 is also Arab poet Nizar Qabbani's birthday. This year, Google celebrates Qabbani's 93rd...
March 21 marks World Poetry Da...
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She empowers, when she is the one who needs empowerment the most. She brings generations to life, in a country where some husbands still get away with the murder of their wives, in the name of so called honor. She teaches tolerance and love, in a country...
She empowers, when she is the ...
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To Moni and Andy, my heart and soul, and the reason for my existence, I am writing this today. I am 30, healthy and still have so many things I want to accomplish in my life. But even if I fail to do so, and even...
To Moni and Andy, my heart and...
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To start this post, below is Wikipedia’s definition of code-switching: “In linguistics, code-switching occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, in the context of a single conversation. Multilinguals, speakers of more than one language, sometimes use elements of multiple languages...
To start this post, below is W...
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I came across this today on Facebook and thought of sharing it. I find it funny. [caption id="attachment_856" align="aligncenter" width="300"] When Arab people have some spare time. They become funny translators :P[/caption] On another, more serious note, human translation can never be replaced. Have a project and need...
I came across this today on Fa...
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There’s more to teaching than just giving us school lessons. A teacher is a mentor, an educator, an idol, a parent, an inspiration. A teacher gives us life lessons. Every year, teachers in Lebanon go on strike in the hopes that they make a change in...
There’s more to teaching tha...
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On this International Women’s Day, I wish to see a higher Lebanese female representation in the parliament and other official institutions. I wish to see Lebanese women, all of them, stand up in the face of violence, harassment, assault and inequality. I wish to see them follow...
On this International Women’...
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I’m not sure of the nationality of the mean dimwit who spread the body shaming meme about The Voice Kids finalist Zein Obeid, but the awful picture has been spreading like wild fire across social media. [caption id="attachment_835" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Such a cute and happy kid[/caption] Cyber...
I’m not sure of the national...
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Lebanese Lynn Hayek was crowned the winner of the first season of The Voice Kids yesterday in a live finale. [caption id="attachment_828" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Lynn singing the winner's song at the end of the finale of MBC The Voice Kids[/caption] Throughout the show, all contestants showed unmistakable...
Lebanese Lynn Hayek was crowne...
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It's March 4th, Grammar Day, and it's Friday, so we all need a good laugh to shake off the stress of the week! I love memes (who doesn't?!) and when it's snarky, it's even better! I googled and I gathered some of the grammar memes that really...
It's March 4th, Grammar Day, a...
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I can’t stress enough the freedom that comes with being your own boss, but with that also comes the imperativeness of making your own business decisions and being responsible for them and their consequences. More people are tending to work on a freelance basis nowadays. This...
I can’t stress enough the fr...
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